Srimad Bhagavatam — Shashtha Skandha, Shloka 23

Ajāmila Delivered: Viṣṇudūtas Establish the Supremacy of the Holy Name

Devanagari script

तं विवक्षुमभिप्रेत्य महापुरुषकिङ्करा: । सहसा पश्यतस्तस्य तत्रान्तर्दधिरेऽनघ ॥ २३ ॥

Transliteration

taṁ vivakṣum abhipretya mahāpuruṣa-kiṅkarāḥ sahasā paśyatas tasya tatrāntardadhire ’nagha

Translation

无罪的帕利克希特王啊，至上人格神的使者毗湿奴使者见阿阇弥罗欲言又止，便在他眼前忽然隐没不见。

Synonyms

• तम्: him
• तम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन; सर्वनाम (pronoun)

• विवक्षुम्: to speak (intending to speak)
• विवक्षुम्: Prayojana/Artha (प्रयोजन)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु) + तुमुन् (कृत्)
• Form: तुमुनन्त (infinitive), द्वितीया-एकवचन; अर्थः—वक्तुम् (to speak)

• अभिप्रेत्य: having intended
• अभिप्रेत्य: Kriya-viseshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि + प्र + इ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभाव; अर्थः—अभिप्रायं कृत्वा/अभिप्रेत्य (having intended)

• महापुरुषकिङ्कराः: the servants of the Mahāpuruṣa
• महापुरुषकिङ्कराः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महापुरुष + किङ्कर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः—महापुरुषस्य किङ्कराः (servants of the Great Person)

• सहसा: suddenly
• सहसा: Kriya-viseshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सहसा (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• पश्यतः: of (him) who was watching
• पश्यतः: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पश् (धातु)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमानकृदन्त (present active participle), षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; पुंलिङ्ग; अर्थः—(तस्य) पश्यतः (while he was seeing)

• तस्य: of him
• तस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (सम्बन्ध), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (locative adverb)

• अन्तर्दधिरे: they disappeared
• अन्तर्दधिरे: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अन्तर् + धा (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (परोक्शभूत/Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; आत्मनेपद; अर्थः—अन्तर्हिताः अभवन् (they disappeared)

• अनघ: O sinless one
• अनघ: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनघ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-प्रथमा (vocative), एकवचन; विशेषणवत् संबोधन

Purport

The śāstras say:

Characters & Entities

• Ajāmila
• Viṣṇudūtas
• Parīkṣit Mahārāja

FAQs

Why did the Viṣṇudūtas disappear in Srimad Bhagavatam 6.2.23?

They understood Ajāmila was about to speak (likely to inquire, repent, or glorify the Lord), and having completed their intervention, they vanished from his sight.

Who is speaking this verse in the Ajāmila episode?

Śukadeva Gosvāmī narrates this verse to King Parīkṣit while describing Ajāmila’s deliverance.

What is the practical lesson of Bhagavatam 6.2.23 for modern life?

Divine help may come unexpectedly, but one should respond by turning sincerely toward spiritual speech and practice—repentance, inquiry, and remembrance of God.